This is why I’m glad I don’t try to dress formally

I can’t help but feel that we’re missing some context here.

Context:

In the early 20th century, fashion etiquette dictated that people wear hats in most social occasions, and there were numerous expectations as to what types of hats should be worn by people of different professions, in different settings, and most importantly for todays story, at different times of the year.

During the summer months, it was popular to wear straw boater hats, as they were cheap,nlightweight and breathable. However, the straw used to make these hats wasn’t very durable and unraveled easily, and generally the hats weren’t designed to be worn for more than a year before being replaced.

As a result of this, a tradition sprang up regarding when one should stop wearing straw hats. On September 15th, men would wear their straw hats to work. When the workday ended, they would take off their hats, crush them underfoot, and throw them away, marking the end of straw hat season and the beginning of felt hat season. If you were to see someone wearing a straw hat in public after the 15th, it was considered acceptable to snatch the hat from their head and crush it in front of them.

Destroying a strangers straw hat after September 15th was typically seen as a bit of mischievous fun. Something that makes it all the more surprising that the tradition would be the source of 8 days of riots in September of 1922.

Hello fello Qxir viewer

huh saw QXIR did a video on it, maybe I should watch it